CAIRO – We dare say that the supposed spirituality of the fasting month of Ramadan is more often than not dimmed by bad habits. A covetous desire to make up for long hours of fasting seems to have lured Egyptian Muslims into stockpiling large quantities of foodstuffs. Despite the soaring prices, people are intent upon putting an excess of food on the table, which in most cases is thrown away rather than consumed. The irony is that fasting was ordained so that the poor and the rich would share a feeling of temporary deprivation. The extravaganza of food presented at the iftar, the meal that breaks the dawn to dusk fast, is therefore in total opposition to the morale behind fasting. True as it is that benevolence is reflected in the generous giving away of food to those in need, rationalisation, however, is a virtue, which the affluent, in particular, should observe. Traders have taken advantage of the high demand to raise prices of meat, poultry and other basic commodities, although this again goes against the spirit of the month where Muslims are required to show the best of the values and principles of Islam. Ramadan comes this year a midst exceptional circumstances, in which the heavy hand of an economic crisis is leaving its touch on almost every home. Yet, people are not ready to give up their old practices, although in such scorching heat the appetite is more for drinks rather than food. We need to learn how to economise, especially in banquet-style Ramadan iftars, which are a good opportunity for family gatherings, but a very bad one for the hosts' budget. Should we not ponder a while to make better choices to fulfil the purpose of fasting and to make the best of the month spiritually speaking?